Republican Women Fighting The 2012 Lib Agenda

By Rob Janicki
Are Republicans once again being suckered into a political minefield set by Democrats?  In particular are the Republicans being drawn into a "War on Women's Rights"?  It certainly looks like liberal/progressives are desperately trying to turn the issue of religious freedom, as guaranteed in the 1st Amendment, into a woman's right to health care decisions over her own body and her sexual proclivities and practices.  In other words, liberal/progressives are trying to paint Republicans as Neanderthals trying to turn back the clock on Roe v. Wade and outlawing contraceptives and abortion.  All this is being done to mute the disastrous 

The Obama administration, when they mandated that religious related institutions provide contraceptive and abortifacients within their health insurance plans at no co-pay and no annual deductible to women, knew they could accommodate these religious institutions with a waiver.  It now appears that the Obama administration planned all along to set the narrative as a woman's right to health care, considering 90% of American women use some form of contraception.

AP
[...]  President Barack Obama is working hard to woo this pivotal constituency in his re-election race. His Democratic allies are even accusing the GOP of launching a "war against women" after the Republicans reignited a new national debate over cultural issues, including birth control.

But now the Republicans - including Ann Romney and Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski - are striking back with a promise: Their party will win women by focusing on the real No. 1 issue, the economy.  [...] 

Will this be enough?  Will Republicans and Republican women in particular be able to refocus what the 2012 presidential campaign should be all about?  Republicans need to stay on message about contraception and abortifacients.  They are legal under law and the Republicans are not challenging women's freedom and liberty to make such choices. Republicans have to frame this as an attack on all people's constitutional rights of liberty and freedom under the 1st Amendment.  Republicans must aggressively argue that government cannot force a religious institution or anyone else to provide a service or benefit which violates their religious or moral code of conduct, contrary to the right of freedom of religion or belief.  In any event this must not be a defensive effort by Republicans.  It must be an ancillary offensive to the main Republican thrust so ably put by former President Clinton, "It's the economy, stupid" and Republicans must drive home this message each and every day through November 6th. 

As an aside, it might be in the best interest of Mitt Romney and the Republicans to feature Ann Romney as often as possible.  I believe she is Mitt's secret weapon and he and the Republican Party can use her visual and verbal communication skills and talents to come across as an intelligent, yet warm and caring woman who supports women's rights within the greater context of all people's constitutional rights.